VESPERS ON SUNDAY EVENING

Kathisma Reading

The appointed psalms are chanted.

At Psalm 140

Tone 5, Podoben “Rejoice…”

If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

I weep and am downcast, envisioning the dread sentence of the Word,* for which I, a wretch, have not the least reply for my guilt.* Therefore, I pray: Before the unseemliness of my end overtake me,* before I am mowed down by death,* before I must needs be condemned to the place* where the fire is unquenchable and the darkness is absolute,* where are the worm and gnashing of teeth, and sinners are consumed,* О my Christ, grant me great mercy and deliverance from my offenses.

I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

Disdaining Your laws and the Scriptures, wretch that I am,* I have rejected Your commandments, О God my Creator.* How will I ever avoid the torment which is to come, О Saviour!* Therefore, before my end grant me forgiveness and a shower of tears,* imparting true compunction to me, О Saviour.* As You are the supremely good God,* drive far from me the hordes of the demons* who seek to drag me down into the abyss of Hades, for I entreat You:* Take not Your almighty hand from me!

From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Woe is me! How have I been darkened in mind?* How have I withdrawn from You and, wretch that I am, enslaved myself to sin;* and, enslaved to the passions, given myself wholly over to carnal pleasure* which lives within me, who am passion-fraught?* Now I await my departure from this life and the coming reckoning.* О supremely good Lord, grant me tearful repentance* and release from my countless transgressions,* for with faith I beseech You who grants the world great mercy.

Tone1, Podoben “O all-praised martyrs…”

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

O sacred preachers, who like winged eagles* most splendidly traversed the fullness of the world:* them that were pursued by the evil-doer you led to the inviolate Faith,* therefore, pray that our souls* be given peace and great mercy.

Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

With sacred voices let us honour Tertius and Sosipater, Olympus and Rodion,* and with them Erastus, the initiate of the mysteries, and the divine Quartus,* who glorify Christ our God and beseech Him* to grant our souls peace and great mercy.

Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

You have led the gentiles to Christ God, O blessed one,* delivered by the blood of Him who was well pleased to be born on earth* and who willingly endured the Cross and death, O most wise ones.* Entreat Him now that He grant our souls* peace and great mercy.

Glory… Now…

Theotokion:

O all-hymned Mistress, hope and confirmation, refuge and help of the faithful, we beseech you:* keep your servants from all misfortunes who worship your Offspring with faith.* Entreat Him now that He grant our souls* peace and great mercy.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

And now bless the Lord,* all you servants of the Lord.

verse: Who stand in the temple of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.

Aposticha

Tone 5

O Lord, I cease not to sin,* nor do I perceive Your love for mankind which You have granted me.* Vanquish my lack of discernment, O You who alone are good,* and have mercy upon me.

I have lifted up my eyes to You enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, as the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord our God until He has mercy on us.

O Lord, from reverent fear of You I tremble,* yet I cease not from committing sins.* Who, when called to trial, does not fear the judge?* Or who, desiring to be healed, angers the physician, as I do?* O longsuffering Lord, have compassion upon my weakness,* and have mercy upon me.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for we have been filled with shame; our soul is all too full of the mockery of the rich, of the contempt of the proud.

Not caring for all earthly things, and manfully braving tortures,* you were not disappointed in your goodly hopes,* but became inheritors of the kingdom, of heaven, О all-praised martyrs.* Having boldness before God the Lover of mankind,* ask peace for the world and great mercy for our souls.

Glory… Now…

O strange, awesome and great mystery!* The Uncircumscribable One has made His abode within a womb,* and a Mother remains a Virgin even after birthgiving,* for from her she gave birth to God Incarnate.* To Him, then, let us cry aloud,* to Him let us raise a hymn, chanting with the angels:* Holy are You, O Christ God, who was incarnate for our sake!* Glory be to You!

Troparia

Tone 3

Holy apostles, intercede with the merciful God* to grant to our souls forgiveness of sins.

Glory… Now…

Gabriel was rapt in amazement as he beheld your virginity* and the splendour of your purity, O Mother of God,* and he cried out to you:* By what name shall I call you? I am bewildered, I am lost.* I shall greet you as I was commanded to do:* Rejoice, O Woman full of grace!

DIVINE LITURGY ON MONDAY MORNING

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 3: Holy apostles, intercede with the merciful God* to grant to our souls forgiveness of sins.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 4: You became branches of Christ’s vineyard, o wise ones,* bearing the grapes of good works,* and pouring forth for us* the wine of salvation.* Receiving it and filled with gladness,* we celebrate your precious memorial.* Therefore pray that we may be granted great mercy and forgiveness of sins,* O apostles of the Lord.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8

Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hands. (Psalm 18:5,2)

Epistle

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Alleluia, Tone 1

verse: The heavens shall confess our wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.

verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints. (Psalm 88:6,8)

Gospel

Luke 10:22-24

Communion Hymn

Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 18:5)